The Election Commission on Saturday rejected the merger of the Janata Dal - United and Samata Party on the ground that it was not 'total'.

The commission came to the conclusion after hearing both the factions in the Samata Party, EC sources said.

The merger plans of Samata Party with JD-U had run into rough weather following the objections raised by dissident Samata Party member of the dissolved Lok Sabha Brahmanand Mandal, who had claimed before the EC that he was with the original Samata Party.